International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO INFORM, ASSIST, AND SUPPORT PEOPLE AFFECTED BY GASTROINTESTINAL (GI) DISORDERS.
- Income
- $747,070
- Spending
- $805,060
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 29.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $154,210, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 29.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $612,427 spent. EDUCATION: THE FOUNDATION PUBLISHES AN ENEWSLETTER, "DIGESTIVE HEALTH MONTHLY" THAT COVERS DIFFERENT AREAS OF GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON RECOGNIZING, DIAGNOSING, TREATING, AND LIVING WITH CHRONIC GASTROINTESTINAL ILLNESS. THE INFORMATION IS RELIABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE BY LAY READERS, WHILE BEING AUTHORITATIVE FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. WE OFFER A LIBRARY OF OUR PUBLICATIONS AND FACT SHEETS THAT CONTAINS OVER 300 ARTICLES WITH INFORMATION ON A RANGE OF TOPICS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS OR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY GI DISORDERS. IFFGD CURRENTLY MAINTAINS ELEVEN SEPARATE WEB SITES: WWW.IFFGD.ORG; WWW.ABOUTCONSTIPATION.ORG; WWW.ABOUTGIMOTILITY.ORG; WWW.ABOUTIBS.ORG; WWW.ABOUTGASTROPARESIS.ORG; WWW.ABOUTGERD.ORG; WWW.ABOUTINCONTINENCE.ORG; WWW.ABOUTKIDSGI.ORG; WWW.YOUANDCONSTIPATION.ORG; WWW.YOUANDIBS.ORG; AND WWW.LOSNINOSYGI.ORG WHICH PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INFORMATION FREE OF CHARGE. THESE WEB SITES CONTAIN OVER 300 FREE ARTICLES WITH INFORMATION ON A RANGE OF TOPICS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS OR THE FAMILIES OF THOSE AFFECTED BY GI DISORDERS. MOST OF THE ARTICLES ARE WRITTEN BY LEADING INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF GI HEALTH AND RESEARCH. TO ENCOURAGE WIDE DISSEMINATION, ARTICLES ARE DISTRIBUTED EITHER FREE OF CHARGE. TOGETHER, THESE WEB SITES CURRENTLY AVERAGE AROUND 700,000 PAGE VIEWS PER MONTH. IFFGD MAINTAINS AN ONLINE FORUM TO GIVE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ALL CHRONIC DIGESTIVE DISORDERS A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE PLACE TO DISCUSS ISSUES SURROUNDING THESE SENSITIVE TOPICS. BY OPENLY SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES OF LIVING WITH A CHRONIC DIGESTIVE DISORDER, PATIENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS CAN LEARN FROM OTHERS IN THE DIGESTIVE HEALTH COMMUNITY AND, IN TURN, ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO MAY BE SUFFERING.IN 2020, IFFGD LAUNCHED A NEW PROJECT, THE NANCY AND BILL NORTON PATIENT EDUCATION SERIES. THIS MULTIFACETED PROGRAM INCLUDES TOPICS RELATING TO MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF NUMEROUS GASTROINTESTINAL CONDITIONS; INCLUDING INFORMATION FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS TOPICS ON THE DAILY EXPERIENCES AND SELF-MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE UTILIZED TO IMPROVE THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING. PROVIDED AS BOTH AN IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, THE NANCY AND BILL NORTON PATIENT EDUCATION SERIES PROVIDES PATIENTS WITH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT EQUIP THEM WITH EDUCATION AND RESOURCES TO BETTER HELP THEM NAVIGATE LIFE. IN 2023, THIS PROGRAM WAS HELD LIVE IN LIVE IN LOS ANGELOS, CA AND THEN VIRTUALLY AS A YOUTUBE PREMIERE ON THE GUT MICROBIOME.IN DECEMBER 2022, IFFGD LAUNCHED AN UPDATE TO THE ANIMATED PATIENT'S GUIDE TO CONSTIPATION. THIS EDUCATIONAL WEBPAGE, WWW.YOUANDCONSTIPATION.ORG, COVERS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONSTIPATION FACED BY PATIENTS AND HELPS THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO TALK TO THEIR PHYSICIAN ABOUT THEIR SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS. OF THE MORE THAN 240,000 VISITORS TO THE SITE, 86% ARE PATIENTS, 5% ARE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, 3% ARE CAREGIVERS AND 6% CHOSE "OTHER." SURVEY RESULTS ALSO INDICATE THAT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS WILL TAKE NEW QUESTIONS TO THEIR DOCTORS, CHANGE HABITS IN THEIR TREATMENTS, AND LEARNED NEW OPTIONS FOR TESTING AND DIAGNOSIS. THE FOUNDATION HAS A PATIENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND PATIENT PANEL, WHICH CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP TO GIVE FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE IN ALL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. MEMBERS OF BOTH THE PATIENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND PATIENT PANEL REPRESENT A DIVERSE RANGE OF AGES, GEOGRAPHIES, DIAGNOSES, AND ILLNESS EXPERIENCES. THE PATIENT PANEL IS CURRENTLY COMPRISED OF OVER 3,000 PATIENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND CAREGIVERS INTERESTED IN HELPING TO GUIDE THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OF IFFGD.IN 2020, IFFGD BEGAN SCREENING MEMBERS OF THE PATIENT PANEL FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THE INDUSTRY COUNCIL, OTHER NONPROFITS AND COMPAIES ON FEEBACK AND INPUT ABOUT THEIR ILLNESS EXPERIENCE AS A PATIENT WITH A CHRONIC GI CONDITION. THUS FAR THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO RECRUITE 70 PATIENTS AND HAVE CONNECTED DOZENS OF THEM WITH COMPANIES INTERESTED IN INCORPORATING THE PATIENT VOICE IN THEIR ACTIVITIES.IN MAY 2023, IFFGD LAUNCHED AN ANIMATED PATIENT'S GUIDE TO IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS). THIS EDUCATIONAL WEBPAGE, WWW.YOUANDIBS.ORG, COVERS THE DIFFERENT TPES OF IBS FACED BY PATIENTS AND HELPS THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO TALK TO THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER ABOUT THEIR SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS. PATIENT STORY VIDEOS WERE ADDED TO THE PROGRAM IN 2024.RESEARCH AND AWARENESS: AS "AWARENESS" DAYS AND WEEKS ARE OBSERVED ON THE U.S. NATIONAL HEALTH OBSERVANCES CALENDAR, THE FOUNDATION RECOGNIZES AND MAKES SPECIAL EFFORTS THROUGH ITS PUBLICATIONS, WEB SITES, AND THROUGH THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH PRINT, SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS, AND THE INTERNET TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE IMPORTANT HEALTH ISSUES BEING RAISED. SOME OF THESE INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: IBS AWARENESS MONTH (APRIL), GERD AWARENESS WEEK (NOVEMBER), GASTROPARESIS AWARENESS MONTH (AUGUST). THE FOUNDATION CONTINUALLY PROVIDES HEALTH MESSAGES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT GI DISORDERS AND INCONTINENCE IN A RANGE OF DIVERSE MEDIA OUTLETS ONLINE OR IN PRINT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: WEBMD, REALAGE, LIVESTRONG, HEALTH DAY NEWS, EXCEPTIONAL PARENT MAGAZINE, MODERN MEDICINE, MEDICAL NEWS TODAY, ENDONURSE, GASTROENTEROLOGY & ENDOSCOPY NEWS, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, REDBOOK, PARADE, SELF, PREVENTION MAGAZINE, US NEWS & WORLD REPORT, COSMOPOLITAN, THE WASHINGTON POST, LA TIMES, NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND THE DAILY YOMIURI (TOKYO), CBS THIS MORNING/EARLY MORNING SHOW, THE TODAY SHOW, FOX NEWS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS, AND NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO'S "LIVING WITHOUT LIMITS".
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.